For many Americans, "Lionel" means "big train fun," especially at Christmas. The mere sight of a Lionel train around the Christmas tree invokes all sorts of memories. And Lionel still offers many great "traditional" Christmas train sets. But Lionel hasn't been resting on its laurels, as shown by the exciting Polar Express train they introduced in 2004, and the new cars they have introduced each year since. And remember, all of the trains and cars on this page are compatible, so feel free to shop the whole page.

This holiday season, we are pleased to welcome several new products, including a Christmas train based on the Victorian-era Hall locomotives that were the pride of Britains Great Western Railways. If you have a British-themed Christmas village (say one of the fifteen or so Dickens-inspired ceramic villages that have come around in the last thirty years), this is the train for you. Unfortunately, lots of other folks think so, too - it is going VERY fast, so don't wait too long.

Two of the other trains on this page are also in short supply. In addition, I've had to remove two of the trains and one of the accessory sets we listed here last year, because all of the vendors we trust for online shopping are completely out of stock. So, we invite you to learn and to have fun learning about the exciting new products. But we can't guarantee any of them will be in stock if you wait too long to order.

Note about Availability and Pricing: Although I try to keep an eye on things and to recommend products that are reasonably available, the model train market does fluctuate, and any product on this page may change price or become unavailable without prior notice. (In fact, I've inadvertently caused a "rush" on several products just by listing them on these pages.) I used to try to list multiple suppliers for the most popular trains. But, frankly, the recession put a number of them out of business, and several of the survivors are mostly just selling through Amazon anyway. So just listing Amazon for most of these products will still give you the chance to comparison shop in many cases. Still, experience tells me that at least two more of the trains on this page will disappear beore Christmas, and it always gets harder for me to keep these pages updated as the holidays progress. So please avoid disappointment and order early.

For more detailed information about why model train products seem to come and go and why I have stopped listing prices on my "catalog pages," please see my article "About Pricing and Availability."

Note about Suppliers: While we try to help you get the trains and other products you want by recommending suppliers with a good record of customer service, all transactions between you and the supplier you chose to provide your trains are governed by the published policies on the supplier's web site. So please print off any order confirmation screens and save copies of invoices, etc., so you can contact the appropriate supplier should any problems occur. (They almost never do, but you want to be on the safe side.)

The Lionel(r) Polar Express Train Set- If you can get ahold of one, this set will give you everything you need to set up a Polar Express Train around your Christmas tree. This train set includes a very large, solid, high-quality locomotive that whistles, as well as two lighted passenger cars with silhouettes that show scenes from the movie. Characters from the movie are also included. Even if you don't see the movie, you probably don't want to miss this value. (P.S. I enjoyed the movie, too.)

If you're a train fan, it might help to know that this locomotive is based on a Pere Marquette Berkshire that ran on the real railroads near the author's home when he was growing up. This locomotive is one of the nicest Lionel O-27 locomotives that has been produced in a while.

The current version of this set includes a remote control, which means you can adjust the train's speed from your armchair if you wish.

Click the button to the right for more information.

Note about the "Large Scale" Polar Express(r) Train Set: - While you are shopping for a Polar Express train, you will almost certainly come across Lionel's "Large Scale" version. It's bigger, it's cheaper, what's not to like? Sadly, it is a battery-powered toy train with plastic track. The whole train is far too small to be considered "Large Scale" in any meaningful sense, though it does run on 45mm track (the same track width that real Large Scale trains use). And it's not nearly as well-made as the O gauge version. Readers tell me they go through a lot of batteries, and even the people who like them recommend getting a rechargeable battery and charger. If you do want to check it out, click here
to see the Amazon listing. But if you want a train set that will give you historic Lionel quality and hours of unattended running, consider sticking with the O gauge (three-rail) version on this page.

Add to Your TrainPolar Express Talking Conductor Coach- Add even more excitement to your Polar Express(r) train, with real conductor announcements from the movie. The conductor figure, holding his lighted lantern, stands in the doorway welcoming passengers, and says "All aboard!" You control the car's features from the transformer, or you can turn them off for running like any other car. Car includes interior lighting, silhouettes in windows, conductor figure in doorway, and a lighted lantern.
To see a bigger photo of this car, click on the photograph.
Please click on a button to check price and availability.

Back in Stock!Polar Express Disappearing Hobo Car- This car was snatched up fast when it first came out. Thankfully, it is available again. In addition to the fellow on the roof, this car includes interior lighting, silhouettes in the windows and Lionel knuckle couplers to attach to the rest of the train.

Click on a button to check price and availability.

New for 2006!Polar Express Hot Chocolate Car- Expand your Polar Express(tm) train set with the Lionel Polar Express(tm) Hot Chocolate Add-on Car, with interior lighting and silhouettes in the windows. This car includes Lionel knuckle couplers to attach to the rest of the train.

Note: This product's stocks are getting low in late 2007 - I just had to remove another supplier for this car. Please don't wait too long to order if you want one this year.

Please click on a button to check price and availability.

Polar Express Dining Car- Lionel has added a dining car to make your Polar Express train even more fun. This lighted car has Silhouettes in the windows and Lionel knuckle couplers to attach to the rest of the train.

Please click on a button to check price and availability.Please click on the button to check price and availability.

Polar Express Elf Hand Car - If you want to give your Polar Express a break from time to time, set this on the track and watch the comic action as the elves try to reach the handles to pump this car. Not many stores seem to have this in stock, so if you want one, order early.

Please click on a button to check price and availability.Please click on the button to check price and availability.

New for 2014! Polar Express Freight Train - A great companion train for the original Polar Express. This train uses an 0-8-0 "road switcher" locomotive that pulls two freight cars and a caboose. The markings on the locomotive tender are different, as befits a freight locomotive versus a passenger train, but the color scheme will blend right in with the original train. If you want to expand your Polar Express railroad, this may be the best way to go. I'm personal expecting a very high demand for this train set, so don't wait too long to order.

Please click on a button to check price and availability.Please click on the button to check price and availability.

Lionel Coca-Cola 125Th Anniversary Vintage Steam O-Gauge Train Set

This is a new, very popular Lionel train that will sell out quickly. It includes the "General-style" old-timey locomotive, two freight cars, and a caboose. To see a slightly larger photo of the locomotive, click on the photo to the right.

Update for 2015 - Coke commemorative trains always sell well. Also, model train companies usually have to pay a relatively high fee to use the Coca Cola graphics, so they don't always order as many of these as they do other sets. So they tend to run out faster than most other sets. As far as I can tell, these are out of production at the moment, which means that stock will be getting very thin between now and Christmas.

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Other Coca Cola Trains and Acessories - If you like this train and would like to see other Coca Cola-themed trains and accessories to go with them, please visit our Hawthorne Village Coca Cola Train page. Even if you want to sick with Lionel trains, you'll find that the Hawthorne Village Coca Cola Railroad Accessories collection adds a great deal of interest to your railroad or Coke-themed Christmas Village.

Victorian Christmas Passenger Train

New and Going Fast! The Hall locomotives were the pride of Britain's Great Western Railways. Though they were painted green when they were in commercial service, at least two of the surviving locomotives have been painted maroon, to serve as the Hogwarts' express in the Harry Potter movies and theme park. Lionel's O-27 of the Hogwarts' Express was their first European train ever. And even though it wasn't technically a Christmas train, it has found its way to thousands of Christmas trees and villages since it was introduced.

Not to overlook a good thing, Lionel has reissued the train in Christmas colors. And it was barely available before stocks started getting a little thin. Unless they have another batch on the way as I write this, I would not be surprised if these run out well before Christmas. This is the perfect accompaniment for all those Dickens-era porcelain and resin buildings you already own, by the way.

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Lionel Peanuts Christmas Train Set

This train commemorates a classic Christmas Television Special that is still shown every year. It features Peanuts characters and cartoons. By the way, other companies have offered similar Peanuts-themed merchandise in the past, and it usually sells pretty fast. So if you're a Peanuts fan, don't wait too long to order.

This train hauls two freight cars, and a caboose, but you can add more passenger cars or freight cars if you want (see below). To see a slightly larger photo of the locomotive, click on the photo above.

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Lionel Gingerbread Junction

This is Lionel's first Christmas train to use their little 0-6-0T "docksider" locomotive. Again, if you click on the photo, you can see the clever paint job. This is a smaller train physically than most on this page, because the locomotive is smaller and doesn't have a tender (coal car). Also the caboose is a 4-wheeled "shorty" caboose. But it's unique colors will certainly appeal to folks who connect the Christmas season with gingerbread houses and sugarplums. And if you need a smaller train than the other ones on this page (say you just have room for a circle of track), or if you want to add something distinctive to a Christmas railroad you already set up, this could be "the ticket."

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Lionel Silver Bells Train

If you like green, this is the train for you. Lionel has offered this Atlantic locomotive in green Christmas trains before. In fact, it was so popular that when they sold out, readers e-mailed me in disappointment. (A quick reminder - I can't make them here.)

This run has a deeper green than the last one, which is even more attractive. According to the flyer, the silver bells in the gondola should glisten and reflect the lights of your tree as they circle. Also, the offset-cupola caboose is a nice feature. To see a slightly larger photo of the locomotive, click on the photo above.

Update for 2015 - These were available in such small numbers last year that most people who wanted them were disappointed. According to Lionel, a new batch should be arriving by the end of October, 2015, so if you like this color scheme, get your orders in now.

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Lionel Santa's Flyer Ready To Run Train Set

After many years of making their "standard" Christmas train with an Atlantic-style 4-4-2 locomotive, Lionel switched over to making the trains with an 0-8-0 switcher locomotive. The boiler is identical, but that's not a problem - the real railroads often used the same boilers on their 0-8-0s, 4-6-0s, and 4-4-2s. The different wheel arrangments had to do with what the locomotive was going to be doing most of the time. Most 0-8-0 locomotives were assigned as "road switchers." This meant they had power to haul long trains, but were generally only used over short distances at low speeds. For example, if you wanted to form up a train in Cincinnati, then take it to Columbus for more switching, you might use an 0-8-0 to do it. The other thing they were used for was helping "push" trains over steep hills.

If you already have a Lionel Christmas train, especially one pulled by a 4-4-2 locomotive like the Silver Bells train above, this train will help you expand your empire without owning two of the same basic locomotive.

This train hauls two freight cars, and a caboose, but you can add more passenger cars or freight cars if you want (see below). To see a slightly larger photo of the locomotive, click on the photo to the right.

Click the Amazon button below to see availability and price.

Lionel's Frosty the Snowman Train

This train is blue, which makes it unique among all of Lionel's Christmas trains offered so far. It also features the Frosty the Snowman graphics from the original cartoon. Last year, due to dock strikes and other issues, most of these trains arrived too late for Christmas, disappointing many would-be buyers. This year, many of the trains that got here in January are still available, but due to the unique color scheme, they may go fast.

Still a Favorite!Harry Potter's Hogwarts Express® - First introduced in 2007, this set is still introducing kids of all ages to the wonders of the old British "Great Western Railways" trains, albeit in a color scheme designed to attract fantasy lovers of all ages. This model of the Hogwarts Express™ is big enough for small hands to operate. Enjoy the magical journey that is portrayed in J.K. Rowling's enchanting Harry Potter series. Train lovers will enjoy a truly historic event in the world of toy and model trains.

This is the first European train ever modeled in O gauge by Lionel! And it includes a specially-machined model of the real, historic "Hall Class" British locomotive that was repainted for the Harry Potter movies. (If you are from the UK, you're probably used to seeing these Great Western Railways locomotives in green, but all of the other details and proportions will be familiar.)

Okay, a "Harry Potter" train may not quite seem like a "Christmas" train, but it will look great around your Christmas tree. In fact, we were impressed enough with this train to give it its own web page.

Longer Trains Need More Track. All of the trains on this page come with Lionel's new "FasTrack," which looks better and goes together easier than traditional O-27 track. To give your train a little more room to run, consider adding a few pieces. This 10-inch Straight Track Section is the same as the pieces that come with the Polar Express and the Hogwarts Express. Please click on the button to check price and availability.

Lionel FasTrack CurvesA set of four curved pieces, along with a few more straight pieces, will give you many more choices of how to set up your Polar Express Train. These are what Lionel calls O-36 curves, the same curves that come with the Polar Express. Please click on a supplier button to check price and availability.

Lionel FasTrack Railer - The Railer is used to help you and your family easily roll your locomotives and rolling stock onto the tracks. No more fiddling with the wheels to get them on correctly. Instead, you set this on top of the track temporarily and "feed" each car through it to get it onto the track. Great for kids who are just learning about trains. This product works with all the train sets on this page.

A Freight Expander Package to increase the size and fun of ANY O Gauge Christmas train is also available. The North Central Christmas Train Expander Pack includes:

Note: This expander package is compatible with any train on this page. It's also in VERY short supply as of September, 2015, so don't wait too long to order.

Improved! - Thomas the Tank Engine Set

Lionel has upgraded their popular O Gauge Thomas set. Thomas's eyes move as he goes around the track, pulling Annie and Clarabel. Two Railway Workers and Sir Tophman Hat are included, as well as enough of the new, more attractive FasTrack track system to make a 40" x 60" oval, and the CW-80 transformer for more power.

To check price and availability, please click a vendor button to the right.

In addition, the O-Scale Accessories page includes many relatively inexpensive details such as bridges, fencing, and stations, that will bring life to any O-Scale or O-Gauge railroad. Click on the picture at the right to see that product page.

Just for Christmas - Collectible Decorations and Gifts- Visit any of the links below to see quality collectible Christmas gifts and decorations that have been popular with our readers. Many are designed by Thomas Kinkade and other world-class artists and designers.